The present invention relates to an improved mowing machine, of the seating operator type.
As is known, several types of mowing machines are presently commercially available in which the operator is seated in a seat supported by the machine frame, these machines generally comprising: a supporting frame which supports: the engine; the transmission train for driving the driving wheels, arranged at the rear of the machine; the steering device which operates the front wheels; the seat for the operator; operating members for driving the operating devices of the machine; the grass cutting device proper and, possibly, a device for collecting the cut grass.
The grass cutting device conventionally comprises a casing which encloses, at the top and sides thereof, one or more grass cutting blades capable of rotating about an axis perpendicular to the ground.
This casing is specifically designed for preventing the mowing machine operator from contacting the cutting blades and for preventing the rotary cutting blades from ejecting cut grass or other bodies toward undesired or dangerous directions.
This casing, moreover, is usually provided with an outlet opening for removing therethrough the cut grass, which removal is conventionally carried out from one of the two sides of the mowing machine or from the rear thereof.
The above disclosed arrangement affords the possibility of applying to the machine a suitable device for collecting the cut grass, which fixture is very important for assuring a proper cleaning of the grass bed and a proper adjusting of the grass growth.
In order to fit several working conditions, the operator must be capable of adjusting the grass cutting height by displacing said casing either upwardly or downwardly, with a parallel relationship to the ground.
This displacement, in particular, is to be easy for the operator and it must be carried out from the operator place.
The cut grass collecting device may be supported either by the casing or directly by the frame of the machine.
In first case, the cut grass collecting device will be displaced either upwardly or downwardly with the casing each time the operator changes the cutting height whereas, in the second case, the position of the cut grass collecting device will be independent from the grass cutting height.
The casing, moreover, can be completely suspended to the frame of the machine and therefore the adjustment of the cutting height is performed by simply raising or lowering the casing and all of the parts forming it or supported thereby.
In order to evenly cut the grass, the casing must be held perfectly parallel to the ground, the result which is rather difficult to be achieved, particularly as the operator desires to cut grass immediately near the ground and the ground is rather uneven.
Thus, a main requirement is that of holding the casing parallel to the ground as far as possible.
In order to achieve this result, there are conventionally provided two small wheels for adjusting the cutting height, which are preferably arranged at the rear of the mentioned casing and affixed to said casing.
Thus, these small wheels will be capable of properly adjusting the cutting height exclusively for a minimum height position.
In other cases, the mentioned rear small wheels have a variable height, preferably by coupling them to the height adjusting device, which involves a modification of this device consisting of coupling the front part of the casing to the machine frame and causing the rear part thereof to bear on the ground through the mentioned small wheels.
It shoould be apparent that such a solution provides a satisfactory evenness of the spacing of the casing from the ground; however, since the small wheels are comparatively narrow, they will furrow the cut grass and impair the aspect of the grass bed.
This mainly occurs in spring and autumn, when a proper treatment of the grass bed is of very great importance.
The seating operator mowing machines are broadly required not only for large extension gardens, but also for average size gardens. Because of this it is very important that these machines be easily handled and provided with a reduced bending radius steering assembly in order to allow for the operator to easily access all of the zones in which grass must be cut.